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Organizations and resources that
assist pro bono representatives with legal research,
asylum documentation and mentoring.
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American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Immigration -
The Commission directs Association efforts to ensure fair and unbiased treatment, and
full due process rights, for immigrants and refugees within the United States. Acting
in coordination with other Association entities, as well as governmental and
non-governmental bodies, the Commission: 1) Advocates for appropriate statutory
and regulatory modifications in law and governmental practice consistent with
Association policy; 2) Provides continuing education and timely information about
trends, court decisions and pertinent developments for members of the legal community,
judges, affected individuals and the public; and, 3) Develops and assists the on-going
operation of pro bono programs that encourage volunteer lawyers to provide high quality,
effective legal representation for individuals in immigration courts, with special
emphasis on the needs of the most vulnerable immigrant and refugee populations.
- AILF- American Immigration Law
Foundation (AILF) - Established in 1987 as a non-profit educational and service organization,
the Foundation's mission is to promote understanding among the
general public of immigration law and policy, through education,
policy analysis, and support to litigators. The foundation sponsors
numerous awards programs, publishes policy reports, engages in
impact litigation, and provides policy-makers and the public with
complete and accurate information about the benefits of immigration.
- American Immigration Lawyers
Association (AILA) - AILA is the
national bar association for over 7,200 attorneys and law
professors who practice and teach immigration law. AILA Member
attorneys represent tens of thousands of U.S. families who have
applied for permanent residence for their spouses, children, and
other close relatives to lawfully enter and reside in the United
States. AILA Members also represent asylum seekers, often on a pro
bono basis. The website has some basic immigration information, a
list of AILA Chapter Chairs, and updates on current immigration
policy issues.
- Amnesty International
- Amnesty International is dedicated to freeing prisoners of
conscience, gaining fair trials for political prisoners, ending
torture, political killings, and abolishing the death penalty
worldwide. Amnesty International is an important source for
documentation on human rights conditions around the world.
- Asylumlaw.org
- A free website run by an international consortium
of agencies that help asylum seekers. Over 95% of
the content on this site is open to the public, including
asylum seekers from any country and the lawyers or
advocates who represent them.
- Center for Gender and Refugee
Studies - CGRS provides legal expertise and resources to attorneys
representing women asylum-seekers fleeing gender related harm, at
both the practice and policy levels, and seeks to track decisions
in these cases. CGRS also works to coordinate legal and public
policy advocacy efforts through domestic and international
networking, and engages in public education efforts in order to
educate decision makers and the public and contribute to the
formulation of national and international policy and
practice.
- Doctors of the World -
Doctors of the World is dedicated to improving the health and
relieving the suffering of vulnerable populations in the United
States and abroad. The organization is committed to exposing and
bearing witness to human rights violations where health is at
stake.
- The Florence Project (Arizona) -
The Florence Project is a nonprofit legal service
organization that provides free legal services to men, women and children detained
by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), formerly known as the INS. The
Florence Project has also developed comprehensive self-help legal materials for
detained individuals proceeding without legal representation.
- Human Rights
Watch -
More than 150 dedicated professionals work for HRW
around the world. They are lawyers, journalists, academics,
and country experts of many nationalities and diverse
backgrounds. They often join forces with human rights
groups from other countries to further their common
goals. HRW is supported by a growing number of volunteers.
HRS is the largest human rights organization based
in the US. HRW researchers conduct fact-finding investigations
into human rights abuses in all regions of the world.
- Immigrant and
Refugee Appellate Center -
The Immigrant and Refugee Appellate Center, LLC ("IRAC")
is a law practice devoted to immigration appellate
work on behalf of aliens. IRAC represents aliens on
appeal at the administrative and federal levels. It
assists attorneys and accredited representatives with
same-day filings at the Board of Immigration Appeals
("BIA"). It collects and makes available
unpublished BIA decisions which provide insight into
the constantly evolving world of immigration law.
It also mentors law student interns and externs who
wish to hone their appellate skills.
- Immigrant Legal Resource
Center -
The ILRC provides legal expertise, technical assistance and
training to thousands of service providers, non-profit agencies,
pro-bono attorneys, and advocates who serve immigrants in our
country.
- Immigrants' Rights
Project (IRP) of the American Civil Liberties Union -
The IRP works to defend the civil and constitutional rights
of immigrants through a comprehensive program of impact
litigation and public education. The IRP files constitutional
and class action lawsuits protecting the historic guarantee
to judicial review, enforcing fair employment practices,
and maintaining constitutional safeguards against detention
practices and biased asylum adjudication.
- The Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Service -
(also under http://www.elca.org/dcs/lirs.html).
LIRS is the national agency set up by Lutheran churches
in the United States to carry out the churches'ministry
with uprooted people. LIRS programs include: refugee resettlement,
foster car for refugee minors, assistance for political
asylum seekers, immigration training and consulting, legislative
advocacy, and public education.
- Mayor's Office of
Immigrant Affairs and Language Services (New York City)
- This
site contains information for and about immigrants in New
York City, and a listing of resources and city agencies
that provide assistance to immigrants. Promotes the interest
and needs of immigrants and provides language-related services
to immigrants and others with limited English language skills.
The Office also works with community-based organizations
to improve city services to immigrants.
- Migration Policy Institute
(MPI) - MPI is an independent,
non-partisan, non-profit think-tank in Washington, D.C.
dedicated to the study of the movement of people worldwide.
MPI provides analysis, development, and evaluation of migration
and refugee policies at the local, national, and international
levels.
- The National Council of La
Raza -
The NCLR is a private, nonprofit, non-partisan, tax-exempt
organization established in 1968 to reduce poverty and
discrimination, and improve life opportunities for Hispanic
Americans. NCLR strengthens these efforts with public information
and media activities and special international projects.
- Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) -
ORR’s mission is to assist refugees and other special populations in obtaining economic and social
self-sufficiency in their new homes in the United States. To do this, ORR funds and facilitates
a variety of programs that offer, among other benefits and services, cash and medical assistance,
employment preparation and job placement, skills training, English language training, social
adjustment and aid for victims of torture. Effective June 15, 2000, asylees are eligible for
refugee assistance and services beginning on the date that they are granted asylum. The date that
the individual is granted asylum is considered his or her "entry" date for the purpose of computing
the ORR benefits eligibility period. Frequently asked questions regarding asylee eligibility for
Refugee Assistance and Services can be found here:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/hotlines/asylee.htm
- Pro Bono Net -
Pro Bono Net is a national, nonprofit organization that works in close partnership with nonprofit legal
organizations across the country to increase access to justice for poor and moderate-income
people and other vulnerable populations. It seeks to do so through (i) supporting the innovative
and effective use of technology by the nonprofit legal sector, (ii) increasing participation
by volunteers, and (iii) facilitating collaborations among nonprofit legal organizations
and advocates working on similar issues or in the same region.
- Refugee Law Center -
The Refugee Law Center is devoted to strengthening the human
rights of refugees and immigrants through legal representation,
research, educational initiatives, and policy development. The
Center works in collaboration with other human rights and refugee
policy and legal representation organizations in the United States
and other countries, and provides position papers, amicus curie
(friend of the court) briefs, legal support, human rights and
country conditions documentation, and legal representation on
issues relating to refugee protection.
- United States Department of
State -
The State Department's site contains reports published by the U.S.
Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor,
including the Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices.
- Women's Commission for
Refugee Women and Children -
The Women's Commission is a resource and advocacy organization
that monitors the care and protection of refugee women and
children. The Women's Commission serves as a watchdog and an
expert resource, offering solutions and providing technical
assistance.
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